Well I checked out Whisky Puppy at a venue which I haven't seen for music. Amnesia Brewery on Mississippi Ave. This is an upcoming brewery that I have been to earlier this year when they were first making the brew. Unfortunately they still don't have any of their own beers. They have some coming in 3 weeks and then more to follow. Going to be a nice place for the area if they can get some beers and perhaps a larger menu. Hot dog, burgers and chips get a bit tired.

I have seen this band's name around but haven't experienced their work yet. So, heading over to the Imbibe to see what kind of dog is this Baxter.

-- My Dog Baxter was a bit of a surprise as it was a jazz trio of sorts. I liked them just not quite what I expected. Drums, Guitar and Keys made nice music at the Imbibe. Fits will for the venue. I'll be back to hear more of their work.

The Greenroom has become a great spot on Tuesdays to hear some of the best in Portland for local songwriters. There were two guest Shandi who has won a songwriting Grammy and Anais Mitchell who just won a Songwriting award at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival . Those visiting artist along with some local talent was great to listen too. Also, the Greenroom as repair their sound equipment and it sounds great in their room.

I've been listening to more slide guitar players and tonight there is a great one playing for free at the Green Room. Rollie Tussing on slide with Ezra Holbrook. Playing happy hour from 6-8.

-- Well it turns out that with the change in ownership of the Greenroom that Rollie and Ezra are not playing. So, it was off to Mississippi Pizza for some other local talent. There is an open mic that was crowded during the summer and since seems to have dropped off a bit. Still good to listen to other up and coming artist in the area.

Went out to the coast and was told there was music at the Sand Dunes Tavern in Manzanita. So, I headed down from just south of Cannon Beach and was presented with Floating Glass Balls. A bluegrass band playing Dobro/Fiddle/Bass/Guitar/Mandolin. They are good and I enjoyed the music while shooting some pool over a glass a scotch. Fun place. I'll need to go back to Manzanita. Was informed that they play every Thursday at Bills Tavern in Cannon beach.

Going to go see Higher Ground at the Bitter End. I used to spend a lot of time there last year but it has gone through some difficult times with owner changes and other complications. Closing then figuring out what to do with all the music it used to host. Seems it only does music some nights now. Still I'll go and see Higher Ground and enjoy some well performed local music.

-- The Bitter End is great. They need to work on more music and advertise more. The addition of two more couches was great. Spent all night on the couches with my friends. Well between some dancing.

Sat and listened to a new artist to me. Jasmine Ash. I'll have to see her again. She is playing the Green Room next Tuesday for the Portland Singer Songwriter's night. I still like the Imbibe and sat and enjoyed happy hour to some good music.

Well I went to the Green Room to see some Songwriters and to celebrate my friend Trevor's birthday. The music was good and the place was crowded. What was a pleasant surprise and a great pat on Trevor's back was a compliment from Denny of Supertramp. Trevor puts on the songwriter Tuesday at the Greenroom and Denny thought it was a great thing and enjoyed the music. Fun night.

So, with this new week’s quest again I'm looking for non-amplified music. I have no idea where that will be but will need to search. I know lots of acoustic events happening tonight but all have some amplified event. I think the Moon and Sixpence is one of the few I know about. Alberta St. on Thursday but still thinking.
As for tonight, I'm still researching possibilities.

-- Ended up at the Moon & Sixpense again tonight. It was more to rendez-vous with a friend but did get to listen to some acoustic tunes. That was nice. Play some darts and debate the possibility of endless energy. :-)

My ears are yearning for more non amplified music. So I've been searching more for that. Hey, that will be my goal this week. I know it will be difficult, but I should be able to find it. Or I hope too.
I did see Foghorn String Band at the Moon and Sixpense. The show is avertised to begin at 7pm and others who joined me thought it was 8pm. Well, they never even though of playing until 8:45 so I have no idea what time. The waitress said 9pm. I'm beginning to recall it always being 7pm until whenever. Wait, lets do a little research....(those dots represent 1 min) Foghorn's website even says 7:30. In either case maybe someone was late. I didn't pay that close attention. Still enjoyed the music. Moon & Sixpense is a great pub to sit and hang. Minus the smoke. Cool looking pub.

Went out and saw Stephanie Schneiderman at the White Eagle. Was a good show. Learned that the guitar player Dan is in another band that I was going to go see "My Dog Baxter". I'll have to go check them out. We talked a bit.

Heading up to Seattle to see The Paperboys at the Showbox. It should be a great show.
I haven't been in the Showbox in years. Excited to see how that place is and perhaps some others. Go check out the remodeled Underground. I heard it has two levels now.

Decided to avoid amplified music and smokey joints today. My ears and lungs thanked me. After watching the funny Vaux's Swifts birds fly into a local School's now defunt chiminey, grabbed a crepe at Vivace and headed over to Alberta St. Pub for the Thursday night Bluegrass Invite.
Good musicians that just sit around the play in the room without speakers and direction. Just deciding each tune and enjoying playing. I wrote and read and talked to one about my musical adventures while enjoying the songs.

Went and saw the Cross-eyed Rosie Quartet at the Goodfoot. The biggest problem with that place is the lack of oxygen. It is like being in a cave and when there are lots of smokers you choke. During this show it was a benefit by the Sierra Club to get the vote out so, most that came don't smoke and thus the place was fine. Not very crowded either. The music was good but then again CER is always good to see.

No idea where to head to tonight. I would like to sit outside but the weather is starting to turn again and I see only a few more music that is advertising as being outside this week. Not so sure they will make it as the weather predictions are not looking favorable to electronics.
I'll have to settle for some nice music inside somewhere.

-- so a little wandering goes a long ways. I walked NW 23rd and popped into Music Millenium to be presented with Viva Voce's CD release. So naturally I needed to stay and listen. Haven't never heard them I thought they were ok. The sound was poorly mixed against the vocals. I think they started to adjust that when I left. Had a very 90's style sound and consist of only 2 people.
Grabbed a bit to eat then went over to Demitri's. I saw that Turtle from the Freaks was playing there and I wanted to see what he was playing. Well, him and two others played Jazz. Upright Bass, clarinet/sax and Turtle on Guitar and vocals. Sat and ran into some others and decided to munch and enjoy a Greek Lemonade over some Jazz. Discovered that Turtle has been playing there for 2 months or so. I liked it and would go back.

Going to go down and watch/listen to the Live Wire Recording tonight at the Aladdin. It features David Jacobs-Strain playing blues guitar. I saw him briefly up in bumbershoot and he was great. The Live Wire! show is fun as well. Watching a radio show being made is enjoyable. You experience all the tools of the trade from the voice overlays to the house band to the sound guy. Funny stuff.

-- I was a bit dissappointed about the show. First, different host. That was okay. The lady filling in was fine but I think I like the guy better. Also missing was the foley artist that was present at the first show. Don't know if there will never be one or if they were on a hiatius. In either case having one was something I enjoyed and was missed.
I then went over to El Gaucho and listened to some Latin Guitars. Discovered they have Latin guitar playing every night. Now the downside is that they don't have a happy hour or a reasonable priced bar menu. The food was okay. A bit too much to just sit and have a drink and small snack while listening to music. I would like to try dinner their but that is a different story.

Sunday morning. A time to relax and walk around. Would start back in the garden to many playing different instruments. A fun time indeed. After a taste of orange juice it was time for Memosas. The sun was bright and what? People complaining about the heat. Funny. Still the garden was lovely and the music enjoyable.
Would break camp and prepare to depart and have a picnic infront of Main stage will listening to some more music. A great time was had by all.
On the way back to portland about an hour into the drive the rain would start and all would be back to normal.

The rain would clear and the sun come out and by 10 we would be enjoying a small beverage and planning the day. Okay, we wouldn't be planning too much as it would be just some Frisbee Golf round, listen to music, have a drink, eat some food, listen to more music, see some friends, enjoy a walk around the land. Following more listening to music. Of course this would all happen after spending a little time drying things off and placing them in the sun to dry.
The rain would not return and the eveing would end for many in the lovely Garden listening to Alan and Corrine play guitar and fiddle, mandolin, or another guitar. That was a very pleasant time. It would be a great year end festival. And for the 7 festival this year it would have rained. Hmm, why did it follow me all summer? :-)
Still I had a great night of fire dancing, Fire jumping, and great all around fun.

Saw Higher Ground out at the Grand Lodge. Had the weather been nicer they would have played outside instead of the small basement. That would have been great. I personally thought the weather was fine for an outside show. Oh well, still fun.

Spent the evening listening to some bluegrass outside on the patio at Produce Row. I haven't listen to music outside there. It was nice and I didn't know any of the players. Now that was odd. Good music.

Today was a much better day for music. Saw lots and lots of shows. Walking all around from stage to stage seeing shows left and right. Started with a little rest at the Backyard Stage seeing Foghorn String Band after walking down to Seattle Center. Then headed over to catch Obo Addy. I decided that since I've seen him before that I'd head over and see Seal in the Memorial Stadium. This was a good decision. Seal put on a great show to a large showing. He really does have a great voice and I enjoyed the performance.
After Seal I headed over to see Nancy Sinatra. The line was huge and the show had already began. So, I decided a beer was needed and jumped in the beer garden behind the Drum Orb Stage. Mass Ensemble's Drum Orb is quite cool. They have this huge globe with drums attached all around it. They also have these two big string instruments. One looks like a harp while the other looks like a big anchor. They would wear gloves and pluck and strum both instruments. Very cool sounds. They had vocals and guitars along with a drum set. They would then invite the crowd up to play on the drum Orb. Fun item that gave me more ideas.
Having the first beer down I headed over to see Throw Rag. My friends saw them last night in Tacoma an thought to see them. Well, it turns out that there wash board guy was off on a family emergency and that was too bad. They are a punk rock band and the washboard would have been interesting to see. But they invited anyone who wanted to come up on stage and play the wash board. I saw one such kid go up there and play with them for a song. That was really cool. They were a big punk rock band and something I haven't seen in a while. I did actually like them. Their music wasn't bad. I decided to leave and head over to see Kiki & Herb.
Kiki & Herb were a piano and singer duel that I would not be able to see because the show was full. Too bad. I would have liked to see them. So, I grabbed some chow and walked over to see Mindy Smith's show. Having seen her for only a short bit I wanted to see her again.
Her show was good. Huge crowd at the Backyard Stage filling the lawn. She would put on a show and then leave about 5 minutes before her time was up but left on a good note. Now here comes the biggest stupidest thing ever. The crowd having enjoyed a great show is leaving. Getting up and heading to the next show. In fact, many have left when the stage hand comes out and pumps up the crowd to get them to cheer and bring her back for an encore. Ugh! This just sucks. Do you really need your ego pumped up? Just finish the show. This is the reason why encores suck. It was a good note to leave on. She didn't need to do an encore. If she wanted to play more then fine but don't leave and have the crowd go then try the encore and if you need someone on stage to cheer the crowd then that is a problem.
click below for more on Bumbershoot

Heading up to Bumbershoot for the weekend. I'll be checking out Seattle and tunes at the Music and Art festival.

-- Arrived late in the day and saw a little of Burning Spear and then The President of The United States of America. The latter being a good show. Would head over the the Fun House after BS closed and have a drink. I'd watch about one song from the punk rock band playing before heading out. Departing ways with other friends who were heading to Hell's Kitchen in Tacoma to see Throw Rag. I'd relax and find my place in my temporary house.

There is only one place you should be tonight. That is Tom McCalls Waterfront park for the youth Symphony followed by the Oregon Symphony which will conclude the night with 1812 Overture to a cannon and Fireworks show. It will be a great event. It always is fun. Just hope the weather holds and the rain lets up.

-- and a wonderful evening it turned out. Found a great place to sit and listen to the symphony play all the classic and then end with the Oregon National Gaurd's Cannons to 1812 followed by the firework show. Twas a pleasant evening.

Well, I spent the evening at the Prince show. I went for a variety of reasons. First I have never seen him and heard nothing but good things about his shows. Two, you get a free CD. He gave away his Musicology CD with every ticket purchased. That is cool. It was my 6months of music I should hear someone huge no?
Well the show was great. Prince would play all sorts of old tunes and new. Played a solo blues/hip hop bit which was great. He would invite ladies up from the audience to dance on stage. Would bring my friend Lucky Linda up first for a solo dance time which later she would say was the biggest moment of her life. She was all decked out in glitter stuff and looked great up on stage.
The show had the lights and special effects you expect to see for this size of event. The biggest downside was the sound. It was very poor. The echoing and bass drawned out the vocals many times. The reverb in the stadium was just not a pleasant experience. I would put four sets of speakers in the upper courners and turn it all down a bit. I once saw Pink Floyd do that up in BC and the sound was fantastique. Here they try to push the sound from the center to fill the room.
Still had a good time and talked to a lady who said she saw Prince before he was big in Oakland. Has followed him since.